Tom Glavine vs Zack Greinke: Career Stats Comparison
Tom Glavine and Zack Greinke are close to even, splitting the 12 scored categories on this page 6–6 (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tom Glavine played 1987–2008 as a pitcher; Zack Greinke played 2004–2023 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Tom Glavine (1987–2008) and Zack Greinke (2004–2023) — breaking in during the 1980s and the 2000s respectively, so they pitched against very different hitting environments. Tom Glavine finished with 305 wins and 2,607 strikeouts; Zack Greinke finished with 225 wins and 2,979 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Zack Greinke, with 3.49 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games? Tom Glavine, with 305 to Zack Greinke's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP? Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.
- Who pitched more innings? Tom Glavine, with 4,413.1 to Zack Greinke's 3,389.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tom Glavine, with 25 to Zack Greinke's 5.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Zack Greinke, with 58,246 career Pitcher PIV to Tom Glavine's 40,421.
Tom Glavine
Zack Greinke
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, and the 1980s and the 2000s were different run environments, so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tom Glavine | Zack Greinke |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 305 | 225 |
| Losses not scored | 203 | 156 |
| Games | Leads: 682 | 586 |
| Games Started | Leads: 682 | 541 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 56 | 17 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 25 | 5 |
| Saves | 0 | Leads: 1 |
| Strikeouts | 2,607 | Leads: 2,979 |
| Walks not scored | 1,500 | 762 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 4,298 | 3,207 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 356 | 367 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 4,413.1 | 3,389.1 |
| ERA | 3.54 | Leads: 3.49 |
| WHIP | 1.31 | Leads: 1.17 |
| K/9 | 5.32 | Leads: 7.91 |
| BB/9 | 3.06 | Leads: 2.02 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Zack Greinke outpaces Tom Glavine 58,246 to 40,421 — driven by per-season impact — 2,648 PIV per season to 1,837 — rather than by longevity, since Zack Greinke played 22 seasons to Tom Glavine's 22. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Tom Glavine — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Zack Greinke — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Zack Greinke leads in strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and K/9, while Tom Glavine owns wins and innings pitched. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Zack Greinke. PIV agrees: Zack Greinke grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tom Glavine and Zack Greinke careers compare
From 2004 through 2008, Tom Glavine and Zack Greinke were in the majors together. The two careers are close in length, 682 games for Tom Glavine and 586 for Zack Greinke across 22 and 22 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. By rate, Tom Glavine struck out 5.32 and walked 3.06 per nine innings; Zack Greinke struck out 7.91 and walked 2.02. Both had the same role: Tom Glavine was mainly a starter (682 starts in 682 games); Zack Greinke was mainly a starter (541 starts in 586 games). Complete games (56 to 17) show how differently the two eras used starters.
Tom Glavine vs Zack Greinke: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who had the better ERA?
- Zack Greinke, with 3.49 to Tom Glavine's 3.54.
- Who won more games?
- Tom Glavine, with 305 to Zack Greinke's 225.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Zack Greinke, with 2,979 to Tom Glavine's 2,607.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Zack Greinke, with 1.17 to Tom Glavine's 1.31.